The Barrio is not a Barrier

By Fernando Vasquez

March 18, 2015

Fernando Vasquez story is the story of many immigrants.  In search of a better life his parents survived a perilous journey through the desert to reach America.  Like many immigrant children of parents that speak only Spanish, Fernando too spoke Spanish.  He learned English in his first year at kindergarten and was translating for his parents at age five. 

You could say that Fernando Vasquez comes from very humble beginnings.  Born in Nayarit, Mexico and raised in South Central Los Angeles he is from one of the toughest neighborhoods in Los Angeles.  As a teenager from South Central LA, Fernando faced the choices and challenges young teenage Latinos face in the barrio, gangs, drugs and dropping out of school.  Choices faced by every kid in every barrio.  Through sheer determination and a passion for education these obstacles did not stop Fernando from accomplishing his dream of getting an education. 

But Fernando did not do it be himself.  His mother was influential in his education.  She would not let him attend his local high school and instead had him take a bus across town to another high school.  The route required him to change busses three times.  But he graduated from high school. 

Fernando credits baseball for helping him focus on education and not the gang mentality he was surrounded by.  In the middle of a barrio of Cuban-Americans, famous for being great baseball players, he and his brother were able to make the varsity baseball team. 

Michigan State University

His college education started at the local community college.  His education journey took him to Michigan for his Master’s Degree from Michigan State University in Student Affairs Administration.  Quite an accomplishment for someone that derives from a barrio where the word college was not in the vocabulary. 

Now as Assistant Director of Medical Student Admissions Fernando helps evaluate around 3000 applications annually for 230 seats in the Texas College of Osteopathic Medical School.  Fernando has advice to all prospective college students. preparing for college has to be done in a timeline to avoid playing a catchup game.  This gives you the opportunity to apply for funding your higher education and professional school aspirations.  Federal, state and local levels have deadlines by which you can apply for funding.  Parents have to be aware that under federal formulas depending on income they may have to contribute part of the college tuition.  Funding for college competes with family necessities.

Fernando Vasquez administers the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP) a state sponsored program for highly qualified economically disadvantaged Texas resident students that wish to pursue a medical education.  For those that meet all program requirements they are guaranteed admission to a Texas medical school.

Under this program those that are accepted can expect a guaranteed acceptance to a medical school, scholarship money and mentoring.  Admittance to medical school is so highly competitive that students need to prepare early. 

Fernando has also developed a program to provide mentoring health exposure at Trimble Tech HS.  The program connects students from Trimble Tech with his medical student mentors.  Students come every Saturday for five weeks and do medically related activities.  More importantly the mentors have similar backgrounds.

According to Fernando education opens opportunities for different experiences and employment. Fernando’s education has taken him to places he would not have otherwise gone. He considers himself a resource manual for students and parents interested in pursuing a college education and a medical degree.  Fernando believes that the more students that graduate from high school and go on to college the better.  These graduates will be able to pass their wisdom on to their children.  This will change and break cycles of poverty, domestic violence, under education and under employment. 

Fernando feels it is time to showcase our talent to our community.  It is time for our kids to achieve and demonstrate their academic abilities to others.  It is time for Latinos to consider a professional healthcare career, a place where we are needed the most, society can no longer deny or afford to ignore the talent in our community.

Fernando Vasquez’s success demonstrates that being from the barrio is no barrier.